October 2015

Healthy~Vibrant Kids

If your child has trouble eating bitter tasting vegetables like broccoli, add salt to it. Salt + Bitter = Sweet Add a splash of soy sauce to steamed broccoli or kale.

~~~ Every parent knows that get-

3 Veggies a Day! Help your kids to eat 3 vegetables a day to support their health. Here is a good rule to try: Eat a veggie at every lunch, snack and dinner.

ting your kids to eat vegetables is challenging! Teaching your kids early on to consume a variety of colorful vegetables is very ~ ~ ~ important. Research has shown that eating a wide variety of Choosing Vegetables healthy vegetables can prevent and lower the risk of many health Colorful vegetables contain disease-fighting nutrients. conditions such as: heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, Some super veggies include: bone loss and type-2-diabetes. carrots, broccoli, Brussels Often kids are not consuming sprouts, kale, and other green their daily-recommended intake leafy vegetables. Vegetables of healthy colorful vegetables. are best fresh but they can be purchased frozen or canned too. Be careful of the sodium content in cans and avoid sauces.

Kids need to eat a variety of vegetables each day: • 1 cup for children 2-3 years • 1 ½ cup for children 4-8 years • 2 cups for girls 9-13, and 2 ½ cups for girls 14-18 years • 2 ½ cups for boys 9-13, and 3 cups for boys 14-18 years

VEGGIE SERVING TIPS! 1. Serve cut up vegetables before dinner 2. Keep trying new vegetables 3. Start with small portions 4. Serve with a dip: hummus, yogurt, or salad dressing 5. Sauté green leafy veggies with olive oil and soy sauce 6. Puree veggies in pasta sauces & soups

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Learn more about vegetables: http://www.buildhealthykids. com/bhk12vegetables.html http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/fruit-veggie-programs http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/ default/files/5_day_challenge2. pdf

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KIDS! VEGGIES RULE!

GREAT

CHOICES

NOT-SO-GOOD CHOICES

#1 BHK RULE: Eat a vegetable with

lunch, dinner, and a snack for 3 a DAY! WEEK 1: Eat veggie sticks with dip for a snack. Post your favorite dipping recipe on: www.Facebook.com/Buildhealthykids WEEK 2: Add a vegetable to your lunch. Try bell peppers, celery, or pea pods! WEEK 3: Eat a Rainbow of colors. Try a new color each week. Orange/Red: carrots, yams, tomato, red peppers Green: Kale, baby spinach broccoli, collard greens WEEK 4: Super Power your Pizza - Add some veggies to it! Powered by Build Healthy Kids

Veggie sticks & dip

Veggie pizza

Baked potato

Veggie chips/sticks

Cheese pizza

French fries or potato chips